NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Southeast Missouri women's volleyball (10-4, 1-1 OVC) fell in four sets to Tennessee State (9-3, 1-2 OVC), 22-25, 17-25, 25-17, 22-25, Saturday afternoon at Kean Hall to split the Redhawks opening 2021 Ohio Valley Conference series.
 
A day after besting the Tigers in five sets, SEMO dropped a four-set decision to Tennessee State in the series finale.
 
Laney Malloy, the reigning Sports Imports/American Volleyball Coaches Association Women's Division I National Player of the Week, led the Redhawks with 16 kills and 12 digs with three aces.
 
Zoey Beasley added 13 kills in the match.
 
In the opening set, SEMO utilized a 5-0 run to pull ahead 14-10. A kill from Elissa Moylan increased the advantage to 17-12.
 
The Tigers responded with a 9-0 rally to take a 21-17 edge.
 
A service ace by Tara Beilsmith pulled the Redhawks within a point, 22-21, before TSU secured the frame with a 3-1 run (25-22).
 
The Tigers then increased their margin to 2-0 in the match with a 25-17 second frame. Tennessee State hit a match-best .333 in the opening set before .241 in the set #2.
 
The Tigers jumped out to a 14-6 lead after a 7-0 run and widened the gap to 17-7 after three consecutive SEMO errors.
 
Beasley and Addy McAleer then hit back-to-back kills before a Beilsmith ace cut the deficit to 23-17.
 
Aria Holmes then registered a block before a kill to extend the Tigers lead to 2-0 in the match after a 25-17 second stanza.
 
SEMO won its only set of the match Saturday after batting a match-high .190. SEMO started the third frame with a 6-0 lead that grew to 13-7.
 
Consecutive kills from Malloy coupled with a Tigers error and solo block from Mackenzie Meehan made the score 21-10.
 
Moylan and Malloy then hit back-to-back kills to secure the set for SEMO, 25-17.
 
Trailing 7-4 in the fourth set, SEMO pulled the lead in favor of the Redhawks, 10-7, after a 6-0 run.
 
The Redhawks went to the media timeout with a 15-12 edge.
 
A 5-1 swing by the Tigers then flipped the lead to TSU, 20-17.
 
Claire Ochs registered a kill to keep the Redhawks within one, 21-20. A Tennessee State service error also kept the Tigers advantage at one, 22-21.
 
TSU then hit consecutive kills to bring on match point at 24-21. SEMO would come as close as 24-22 on a Tigers error before Tennessee State claimed the match.
 
Ochs finished the match with 32 assists and 10 digs. Beilsmith paced the defense with 20 digs and three aces. Dion chipped in six digs while Kayla Closset tallied five with an ace.
 
Meehan finished with a career-best five kills and two digs. Izzy Lukens dished out a personal-best four assists.
 
Sophomore Nwakaego Nwagbuo made her Redhawks debut, finishing with a kill and a dig.
 
SEMO led TSU in aces, 7-4. The Tigers out blocked the Redhawks, 9-5.
 
TSU outhit SEMO, .179 to .093.
 
Former Redhawk Kendall Washington led TSU with 11 kills on a .241 clip. Sofia Garcia-Guerrios had 32 assists and 17 digs. Gina Rivera Ortiz finished with 26 digs.
 
SEMO next returns home for a three-match week. The Redhawks host UT Martin in their first home OVC match of the season Sept. 29 at 6 p.m., CT at Houck Field House. SEMO then concludes the week with a Friday, Saturday series against Belmont Oct. 1-2. Match times for the weekend series are 6 p.m. and 2 p.m.